Bottles from Swedish microbrewery Oppigårds are the beer equivalent of Paul Potts. From the outside they can look rather boring, a little awkward and forgettable. If you didn’t know you might even pass them by without ever giving them a try.
They may not look all that amazing from the outside, but it's what's on the inside that counts!
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But if you do give their beers a chance, if you do allow them the opportunity to open up then oh how they sing!
Rarely have I felt so elated as a beer drinker as the moment I opened my first bottle of Oppigårds’ Amarillo Spring. Just like that magical moment when Mr Potts the goofy-toothed mobile salesman from south Wales walked onto the stage and said he was going to sing opera, I had absolutely no idea what magic was coming next.
The aroma of freshly picked, green leafy hops was simply overwhelming. It stopped me in my tracks.
I can’t recall a more exhilaratingly hop nose on a Swedish beer. It reminded me of the smell of broken Dandelion stems I used to snap as a child playing outside during the summer. If every colour had its own unique aroma then this beer is how green would smell.
There’s a dash of white wine in there to, along with subtle hints of red berries and pine needles. Malt must be present too but if it is it’s not telling anyone – and quite frankly who cares.
In the mouth this maestro continues to perform beautifully, delivering a fleeting sweetness before a swell of citrus climaxes in a crescendo of lingering balanced bitterness.
Oppigårds Amarillo Spring is an outstanding example of the role hops can play in the aroma and taste of a beer. It is one of the absolute best European versions of an American Pale Ale I have ever tasted.
The beer was originally released to celebrate Oppigårds’ 7th year in business and has been renamed to fit in with the current seasonal theme at the Systembolaget. With its assertive bitterness (measuring 50 IBUs for you beer nerds) it almost strays into IPA territory, so if you like hops you’re going to love this.
But here’s a warning – the beer is only available at the Systembolaget for the next three months. I therefore urge you to go and buy it – lots of it. Then go home, throw all the food out of your fridge and fill it with bottles of this beer instead.
It’s that good.
Oppigårds Amarillo Spring
5.9% ABV
An American Pale Ale from Oppigårds Bryggeri
Systembolaget Article Number: 1440
Agreed, lovely pale ale. Got the fridge full of them which isn’t all that popular with the lady.. I suspect this brew wont appreciate the tempature and light of systembolagets shelfs for very long so I’d recommend anyone who wants to drink this at its best possible state to buy a bunch and throw them in the fridge asap.
Nice color comparison there to, the beer is extremely green.
Haven’t tasted it under this name but your description matches what I thought of the 7th Celebration last fall at the Stockholm Beer Festival.
-Jimmy
Damn! I got really thirsty reading this review… is it friday today?
Stefan – if you need it to be Friday today then I’m telling you it is!
really love this one myself.
must be one of the best brew’s from sweden all time.
oppigårds is the shit, like the youngsters say it
Word up Dempa. (As the youngsters used to say it in the 80s)
Followed your advice and baught a couple of bottles. Some for the cellar and some for immediate tasting. Well, only one actually. But it was really, really, good. One of my pals actually said ‘wine’. Which I first thought was odd…but then it came to me. The smell and first sip was tremendous. Well, you all hear that I’m a beginner. But what I’d like to say is Thx Mr D for a good advice!
I could not contain myself last night. It goes well with mushroom pie
Wohoo!! Friday!
Hehe I usually try to refrain from drinking beer during the weekdays. It’s one of few limits I put on myself.
and restaurants and bars and pubs can buy it from Tomp beer & spirits.
Drinking one as i type and yeah…this beer is great, and for the record so is most of what oppigård has to offer!
I almost feel alittle proud of being swedish when i drink it
And so you should Daniel. And so you should!